Justin Herbert's magnificent start to the season has hit new heights, and the Chargers are 3-0 this season … and already 3-0 against the AFC West. Herbert led back-to-back scoring drives late — the first capped by a tremendous touchdown pass to Keenan Allen, the second capped by Cameron Dicker's game-winning field goal — as the Chargers rallied past the Broncos 23-20.
Los Angeles is the first team to start 3-0 with all three wins in division play since the 2006 Bears.
The Chargers led 10-0 in the second quarter after Omarion Hampton's first career NFL touchdown. The rookie first rounder powered in from 3 yards put just after his fellow running back, Najee Harris, suffered what appeared to be a serious, non-contact ankle injury.
Finally, the Broncos got things going on their penultimate drive of the half. Facing a fourth and 2 near midfield, Sean Payton called a timeout and drew up a deep ball to Courtland Sutton. The Chargers blowing the coverage — it appeared like a miscommunication — made it an easy pitch and catch, and Nix made no mistake this time for a 52-yard score.
That kicked off what was a tremendous stretch sandwiching halftime for the Broncos. Down 10-7 at halftime, Denver got the ball, and JK Dobbins ripped off a 41-yard rush. Two plays later, he made another highlight-reel play, catching a backward Bo Nix pass and avoiding multiple would-be tacklers en route to a 19-yard touchdown.
Derius Davis then fumbled the following kickoff return, and a Wil Lutz field goal made it 17-10, Broncos, with all 17 points having been scored in a five-minute span.
Herbert and Dicker, however would prove the heroes. Halfway through the fourth quarter, he shook off a pass rusher and found Allen for a touchdown, the veteran wide receiver working back to the ball and reeling it in. Then, after Los Angeles forced a three and out, Herbert led the Chargers to the Denver 25, and Cameron Dicker nailed a 43-yard field goal as time expired.
Here are out takeaways from an absolute thriller:
Justin Herbert is playing out of his mind
It just doesn't get a whole lot better than this:
Herbert finished the game 28 of 47 for 300 yards, one touchdown and one interception. They're good numbers but not great numbers.
But the box score doesn't even tell half the story. Herbert was under pressure from the get-go — he ended up being sacked five times — and that was despite the Broncos not blitzing much.
In winning time, though, he got even better. He finished each of his last eight passes. That included a massive third-and-10 conversion to Allen, whose game is aging like fine wine, and a 12-yard completion on second and 13 so help set up Dicker's field goal.
Omarion Hampton grows up fast
The Harris injury is disheartening. He was ruled out almost immediately, and after he overcame an offseason eye injury just to play this season, it's a brutal turn of events. Jim Harbaugh and Greg Roman love big, physical backs and love to deploy multiple of them.
But Hampton stepped up and then some in Harris' absence: 70 yards rushing and 59 yards receiving. That included a big 22-yard catch and run on Los Angeles' penultimate drive.
Broncos on the wrong end of a game of inches
It was a frustrating game for Bo Nix, who went just 14 for 25 for 153 yards, with 52 of those yards on a completely busted coverage right before halftime. Nix saw a deep ball glance off Marvin Mims' hands earlier in the game and missed Sutton deep late in the game on a third and 10.
Those were the more memorable misses, but another crucial matter of inches came with the Broncos leading 10-13 with about five minutes left. Facing third and 13 deep in his own territory, Nix stepped up, scrambled and lunged for the first down. However, his knee hit down with the ball inches short. The Broncos punted, Herbert found Allen for a touchdown, the Broncos went three and out again, and Dicker won it at as time expired.
Denver also had 10 penalties for 90 yards, went just two for 13 on third down and ran just 48 plays, compared to Los Angeles' 80. If not for several defensive stands, this could have looked very different. It's been an uneven start for Nix, who threw three interceptions across the first two weeks. Though he didn't have a turnover today, he missed on a few throws that could have easily swung the game in Denver's favor.
